Waxing Old, like a Garment
“Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed. But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.” (Psalm 102:25-27)
“Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed. But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.” (Psalm 102:25-27)
This remarkable passage, quoted also in Hebrews 1:10-12, anticipates the famous second law of thermodynamics, or law of entropy, indicating that everything in the physical universe is growing old and wearing out. God created everything in the beginning, winding it up like a great clock, so to speak. Because of sin and the curse, however, it has been running down and “perishing” ever since. Jesus also said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away” (literally “are passing away”) (Matthew 24:35).
This universal scientific law is also anticipated in Isaiah 51:6: “The earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner.” That is, the law of decay and death applies both to the earth and its inhabitants. The concept of universal evolution is clearly refuted both by Scripture and true science.
Note that our text also anticipates that, although the earth is growing old and seems about to die, it will suddenly be changed, like a garment. The old garment will be discarded and a new garment put on. Peter puts it this way: “The heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” (2 Peter 3:12-13).
Now, although the universe is perishing and will one day be suddenly renewed, its Creator never changes. His years will never end, and His Word and His righteousness will never pass away. HMM
Submission and Headship in the Home where I Grew UpJohn Piper This message was on the meaning of submission in marriage. I did not have time for this closing illustration. So consider this an application at the end of that message. The point is that my mother's submissive role in relation to my father was not owing to lesser competencies. It was owing to the God-given nature of manhood and womanhood and how they are designed in marriage to display the covenant relationship between Christ and the church.
I grew up in a home where my father was away for about two-thirds of each year. He was an evangelist. He held about twenty-five crusades each year ranging in length from one to three weeks. He would leave on Saturday, be gone for one to three weeks, and come home on Monday afternoon. I went to the Greenville airport hundreds of times. And some of the sweetest memories of my childhood are the smile of my father's face as he came out of the plane and down the steps and almost ran across the runway to hug me and kiss me (no skyways in those days).
This meant that my sister and I were reared and trained mostly by my mother. She taught me almost everything practical that I know. She taught me how to cut the grass without skippers and keep a checkbook and ride a bike and drive a car and make notes for a speech and set the table with the fork in the right place and make pancakes (notice when the bubbles form on the edges). She paid the bills, handled repairs, cleaned house, cooked meals, helped me with my homework, took us to church, led us in devotions. She was superintendent of the Intermediate Department at church, head of the community garden club, and tireless doer of good for others.
She was incredibly strong in her loneliness. The early sixties were the days in Greenville, SC, when civil rights were in the air. The church took a vote one Wednesday night on a resolution not to allow black people to worship in the church. When the vote was taken, she stood, as I recall, entirely alone in opposition. And when my sister was married in the church in 1963 and one of the ushers tried to seat some black friends of our family all alone in the balcony, my mother indignantly marched out of the sanctuary and sat them herself on the main floor with everyone else.
I have never known anyone quite like Ruth Piper. She seemed to me omni-competent and overflowing with love and energy.
But here is my point. When my father came home, my mother had the extraordinary ability and biblical wisdom and humility to honor him as the head of the home. She was, in the best sense of the word, submissive to him. It was an amazing thing to watch week after week as my father came and went. He went, and my mother ruled the whole house with a firm and competent and loving hand. And he came, and my mother deferred to his leadership.
Now that he was home, he is the one who prayed at the meals. Now it was he that led in devotions. Now it was he that drove us to worship, and watched over us in the pew, and answered our questions. My fear of disobedience shifted from my mother's wrath to my father's, for there, too, he took the lead.
But I never heard my father attack my mother or put her down in any way. They sang together and laughed together and put their heads together to bring each other up-to-date on the state of the family. It was a gift of God that I could never begin to pay for or earn.
And here is what I learned -- a biblical truth before I knew it was in the Bible. There is no correlation between submission and incompetence. There is such a thing as masculine leadership that does not demean a wife. There is such thing as submission that is not weak or mindless or manipulative.
It never entered my mind until I began to hear feminist rhetoric in the late sixties that this beautiful design in my home was somehow owing to anyone's inferiority. It wasn't. It was owing to this: My mother and my father put their hope in God and believed that obedience to his word would create the best of all possible families -- and it did. So I exhort you with all my heart, consider these things with great seriousness, and do not let the world squeeze you into its mold.
Invest Your Time--Don’t Just Spend It
Ephesians 5:15-17
Time is a most valuable commodity. Since it’s irreversible and irreplaceable,
we ought to give careful consideration to how we spend our days--and even our minutes. Time is a gift from God. That means we are not owners but stewards and will one day be held accountable for how we used what was entrusted to us. According to verse 15, there are only two possible ways to live: wisely or foolishly.
Let’s first consider what is involved in using our time wisely. Those who realize that their days belong to God are careful how they live. Their goal is to understand the Lord’s will and align their schedules
and activities with His purposes. As they seek guidance each day through intimate fellowship with Him in the Word and prayer, their spiritual eyes are opened to discern which opportunities are from the Father and which are not a part of His plans for them.
But those who are foolish do not give adequate thought to the way they live. Some become unproductive and lazy, living for their own pleasures while missing out on God’s purpose for their lives. However, others may be very busy and extremely successful by worldly standards, but if their days are occupied with activities that aren’t God’s will for them, they’re wasting their time.
To make the most of your opportunities, begin each day with the Lord, submitting to His will and asking that He direct your activities. After all, none of us want to get to heaven and discover that even though we’ve been busy spending our time,we have failed to invest it for eternity.
Pray without Ceasing
“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” (Ephesians 6:18)
It is obvious that Paul’s command to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) is to be understood metaphorically (after all, we do have to sleep and work, as well as pray), but it is also to be taken seriously.
Even during waking hours, of course, the attitude of unceasing general prayer is not meant to supersede special periods of concentrated prayer. Jesus spoke thus of the importance of intense private prayer: “When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret” (Matthew 6:6). Christ Himself has set an example: “In the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed” (Mark 1:35).
There is also an important role for group prayer meetings. “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed” (James 5:16). “If two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 18:19).
The words of our text, however, conclude the great passage on the armor of the Christian as he or she engages in daily combat with the wicked one. They imply not a continual verbalized prayer but a continual attitude of prayer and watchfulness whereby it becomes easy and natural to breathe a short (but sincere) prayer “in the Spirit” whenever a need appears (e.g., a special need for strength or guidance in a situation, or intercession for someone else). Thus, whether at work or at rest, we can—as Paul exhorts—“continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving” (Colossians 4:2). HMM
The Discipline of Patience
“But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” (James 1:4)
Patience, or endurance, is part of the development that produces the experience that brings hope and assurance to those who are the twice-born (Romans 5:3-5). Patience is a discipline—a “work” that is necessary for our growth. Although such discipline never seems pleasant at the time, it is administered by our loving heavenly Father, who focuses His work on our spiritual maturity (Hebrews 12:5-8).
Our text contains several key aspects that promise victory through the process of learning patience. Wisdom is granted liberally as we ask for it during the testings that produce the “perfect work” (James 1:4) of patience. As those who love the Lord endure the testings that will surely come, the endurance practiced will produce a “crown of life” (James 1:12) as an eternal testimony to our patience.
Psalm 37 outlines the principles for gaining patience during this life. First, “trust in the LORD” (Psalm 37:3) and follow His leading in everything you do (Proverbs 3:5-10).
Second, delight in the Lord—get excited about Him (Psalm 37:4). That trait is amplified often in Psalm 119 (Psalm 119:16, 24, 35, 47, 70, 174). Then, commit your way to the Lord (Psalm 37:5), becoming like a branch attached to the vine (John 15:4-7).
Finally, rest in the Lord (Psalm 37:7) and wait on Him (Psalm 37:34). That doesn’t mean just “hang around.” It means to be a fully prepared servant, waiting for his master’s orders to implement. The “profitable” servant (Luke 17:10) learns what his master wants and stands ready to respond to the needs of the Kingdom.
Patience is never obtained through bored indifference. HMM III
Things That Cannot Be Shaken
Hebrews 12:25-29
As a rule, people like security. We seek what is comfortable. Yet the reality of our world is that much instability exists. For example, finances, health, and even a country’s ability to survive are not guaranteed.
When our foundation is shaken, we often feel overwhelmed. Sometimes
Satan causes the difficulty--with God’s permission, of course. At other times, challenging circumstances are brought about by the Lord’s hand. Regardless of the source, we have the promise in Romans 8:28 that “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” And in either case, the Almighty’s purpose remains: to glorify Himself in our world and in our lives.
There are different reasons the Lord permits turmoil, but for now, let’s focus on one: He won’t allow anything that enables man to seem self-sufficient in his own eyes. Therefore, God may lovingly allow enough trouble for us to realize our need of Him. Consider the trials the Israelites faced each time they turned away from Jehovah to worship other gods. In many ways, we do the same thing today. Individually, in our churches, and as a nation, we often glorify “gods” like money or status. But the One who created us will not tolerate this.
In our pride, we tend to think we’re able to manage without God. But out of love, He may stir up our lives to reveal our dependence upon Him. If you are basing your security on anything except Jesus Christ--even something as seemingly innocent as comfort--it will prove to be sinking sand.
God-Hardened Hearts
“For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no favour, but that he might destroy them, as the LORD commanded Moses.” (Joshua 11:20)
One of the most bitter complaints of critics against the Bible is its portrayal of the severity of God, especially in His command to Moses to destroy all the Canaanites. “When the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them” (Deuteronomy 7:2). This seems more severe than ever when we read in our text that God Himself hardened the hearts of the Canaanites so that Joshua could destroy them.
But the notion that God is merely a kindly grandfather figure is a self-serving figment of man’s sinful imagination. The New Testament reminds us that “our God is a consuming fire” and “the wages of sin is death” (Hebrews 12:29; Romans 6:23), and God doesn’t change. “The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8).
As far as the Canaanites were concerned, God had given them 400 years to repent (Genesis 15:13-16), but each new generation had gone further away from God than the one before, and they were practicing (as archaeology has revealed) every form of debauchery known to man. It was an act of mercy by God toward all those who would come in contact with them in future generations to decree their destruction now. They had already irrevocably hardened their hearts toward God, so God now hardened their hearts against Israel. Thinking they could destroy God’s people, they only hastened their well-deserved end. HMM
Be Careful What You Ask For
A story in the Old Testament tells of how God supernaturally provided for the children of Israel on a daily basis as they walked through the wilderness to the
Promised Land. Every morning when they came out of their tents, something called manna would be waiting there for them. All they had to do was pick it up off the ground and eat it.
But after a while, they got sick of eating manna. They basically said, "We're sick of manna. We remember the good old days back in Egypt when we ate garlic,
leeks, and onions. And most of all, we remember meat."
The funny thing is that when the devil reminds us of our past, we often look at it through rose-colored glasses. He will say, "Remember the good old days?
Remember those times when you partied? Remember the fun?" But he never says, "Remember how empty you were? Remember the guilt that would never go away? Remember that depression you constantly found yourself in? Remember how afraid you were to die?" He never
says that. Instead, he reminds us of the few good times we had. But the bad times outweigh them.
God gave the complaining Israelites what they wanted, and the Bible says it rained quail-so much so, they were knee-high in quail. But it turned bitter
in their mouths.
How foolish we are when we try to keep God out of our lives as we blindly pursue our plans and passions. Many times God will not let us get what we're
after. But sometimes He will. He'll let us get what we want so we'll see that it isn't what we thought it was.
Once you've tasted of the living water that Jesus gives, the polluted streams of this world never will satisfy again.
I grew up in a home where my father was away for about two-thirds of each year. He was an evangelist. He held about twenty-five crusades each year ranging in length from one to three weeks. He would leave on Saturday, be gone for one to three weeks, and come home on Monday afternoon. I went to the Greenville airport hundreds of times. And some of the sweetest memories of my childhood are the smile of my father's face as he came out of the plane and down the steps and almost ran across the runway to hug me and kiss me (no skyways in those days).
This meant that my sister and I were reared and trained mostly by my mother. She taught me almost everything practical that I know. She taught me how to cut the grass without skippers and keep a checkbook and ride a bike and drive a car and make notes for a speech and set the table with the fork in the right place and make pancakes (notice when the bubbles form on the edges). She paid the bills, handled repairs, cleaned house, cooked meals, helped me with my homework, took us to church, led us in devotions. She was superintendent of the Intermediate Department at church, head of the community garden club, and tireless doer of good for others.
She was incredibly strong in her loneliness. The early sixties were the days in Greenville, SC, when civil rights were in the air. The church took a vote one Wednesday night on a resolution not to allow black people to worship in the church. When the vote was taken, she stood, as I recall, entirely alone in opposition. And when my sister was married in the church in 1963 and one of the ushers tried to seat some black friends of our family all alone in the balcony, my mother indignantly marched out of the sanctuary and sat them herself on the main floor with everyone else.
I have never known anyone quite like Ruth Piper. She seemed to me omni-competent and overflowing with love and energy.
But here is my point. When my father came home, my mother had the extraordinary ability and biblical wisdom and humility to honor him as the head of the home. She was, in the best sense of the word, submissive to him. It was an amazing thing to watch week after week as my father came and went. He went, and my mother ruled the whole house with a firm and competent and loving hand. And he came, and my mother deferred to his leadership.
Now that he was home, he is the one who prayed at the meals. Now it was he that led in devotions. Now it was he that drove us to worship, and watched over us in the pew, and answered our questions. My fear of disobedience shifted from my mother's wrath to my father's, for there, too, he took the lead.
But I never heard my father attack my mother or put her down in any way. They sang together and laughed together and put their heads together to bring each other up-to-date on the state of the family. It was a gift of God that I could never begin to pay for or earn.
And here is what I learned -- a biblical truth before I knew it was in the Bible. There is no correlation between submission and incompetence. There is such a thing as masculine leadership that does not demean a wife. There is such thing as submission that is not weak or mindless or manipulative.
It never entered my mind until I began to hear feminist rhetoric in the late sixties that this beautiful design in my home was somehow owing to anyone's inferiority. It wasn't. It was owing to this: My mother and my father put their hope in God and believed that obedience to his word would create the best of all possible families -- and it did. So I exhort you with all my heart, consider these things with great seriousness, and do not let the world squeeze you into its mold.
Invest Your Time--Don’t Just Spend It
Ephesians 5:15-17
Time is a most valuable commodity. Since it’s irreversible and irreplaceable,
we ought to give careful consideration to how we spend our days--and even our minutes. Time is a gift from God. That means we are not owners but stewards and will one day be held accountable for how we used what was entrusted to us. According to verse 15, there are only two possible ways to live: wisely or foolishly.
Let’s first consider what is involved in using our time wisely. Those who realize that their days belong to God are careful how they live. Their goal is to understand the Lord’s will and align their schedules
and activities with His purposes. As they seek guidance each day through intimate fellowship with Him in the Word and prayer, their spiritual eyes are opened to discern which opportunities are from the Father and which are not a part of His plans for them.
But those who are foolish do not give adequate thought to the way they live. Some become unproductive and lazy, living for their own pleasures while missing out on God’s purpose for their lives. However, others may be very busy and extremely successful by worldly standards, but if their days are occupied with activities that aren’t God’s will for them, they’re wasting their time.
To make the most of your opportunities, begin each day with the Lord, submitting to His will and asking that He direct your activities. After all, none of us want to get to heaven and discover that even though we’ve been busy spending our time,we have failed to invest it for eternity.
Pray without Ceasing
“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” (Ephesians 6:18)
The Discipline of Patience
“But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” (James 1:4)
Things That Cannot Be Shaken
Hebrews 12:25-29
As a rule, people like security. We seek what is comfortable. Yet the reality of our world is that much instability exists. For example, finances, health, and even a country’s ability to survive are not guaranteed.
When our foundation is shaken, we often feel overwhelmed. Sometimes
Satan causes the difficulty--with God’s permission, of course. At other times, challenging circumstances are brought about by the Lord’s hand. Regardless of the source, we have the promise in Romans 8:28 that “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” And in either case, the Almighty’s purpose remains: to glorify Himself in our world and in our lives.
There are different reasons the Lord permits turmoil, but for now, let’s focus on one: He won’t allow anything that enables man to seem self-sufficient in his own eyes. Therefore, God may lovingly allow enough trouble for us to realize our need of Him. Consider the trials the Israelites faced each time they turned away from Jehovah to worship other gods. In many ways, we do the same thing today. Individually, in our churches, and as a nation, we often glorify “gods” like money or status. But the One who created us will not tolerate this.
In our pride, we tend to think we’re able to manage without God. But out of love, He may stir up our lives to reveal our dependence upon Him. If you are basing your security on anything except Jesus Christ--even something as seemingly innocent as comfort--it will prove to be sinking sand.
God-Hardened Hearts
“For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no favour, but that he might destroy them, as the LORD commanded Moses.” (Joshua 11:20)
Be Careful What You Ask For
- Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and
said: "Who will give us meat to eat?"
-Numbers 11:4
said: "Who will give us meat to eat?"
-Numbers 11:4
A story in the Old Testament tells of how God supernaturally provided for the children of Israel on a daily basis as they walked through the wilderness to the
Promised Land. Every morning when they came out of their tents, something called manna would be waiting there for them. All they had to do was pick it up off the ground and eat it.
But after a while, they got sick of eating manna. They basically said, "We're sick of manna. We remember the good old days back in Egypt when we ate garlic,
leeks, and onions. And most of all, we remember meat."
The funny thing is that when the devil reminds us of our past, we often look at it through rose-colored glasses. He will say, "Remember the good old days?
Remember those times when you partied? Remember the fun?" But he never says, "Remember how empty you were? Remember the guilt that would never go away? Remember that depression you constantly found yourself in? Remember how afraid you were to die?" He never
says that. Instead, he reminds us of the few good times we had. But the bad times outweigh them.
God gave the complaining Israelites what they wanted, and the Bible says it rained quail-so much so, they were knee-high in quail. But it turned bitter
in their mouths.
How foolish we are when we try to keep God out of our lives as we blindly pursue our plans and passions. Many times God will not let us get what we're
after. But sometimes He will. He'll let us get what we want so we'll see that it isn't what we thought it was.
Once you've tasted of the living water that Jesus gives, the polluted streams of this world never will satisfy again.
True
Love
�Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance
of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.� (Song of Solomon 8:7)
Love
�Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance
of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.� (Song of Solomon 8:7)
The Song of Solomon, as part of God�s inspired Word, is much more than an ancient erotic poem, as some have interpreted it. Solomon was given great wisdom by God, so that he �spake three thousand proverbs; and his songs
were a thousand and five� (1 Kings 4:32). Of these latter, he apparently considered this to
be his masterpiece, his �song of songs� (Song 1:1). It can best be understood as a pure love song
describing the courtship and marriage of Solomon and his first bride, long before he later married �many strange [that is, �foreign�] women� (1
Kings 11:1) who �turned away his heart after other gods� (1 Kings 11:4).
were a thousand and five� (1 Kings 4:32). Of these latter, he apparently considered this to
be his masterpiece, his �song of songs� (Song 1:1). It can best be understood as a pure love song
describing the courtship and marriage of Solomon and his first bride, long before he later married �many strange [that is, �foreign�] women� (1
Kings 11:1) who �turned away his heart after other gods� (1 Kings 11:4).
Another interpretation, favored by many Bible scholars over the centuries, is that the story is an allegory whose theme is the love of Christ and His heavenly bride, the true church.
That is, it really does seem to describe the love of young Solomon and his first bride. Such love had and still has God�s blessing, for the union of man and woman in permanent, loving marriage has always been God�s
plan, ever since Adam and Eve (note Christ�s confirmation of this in
Matthew 19:3-9). It is �the works of the flesh,� including adultery and fornication, that God condemns.
plan, ever since Adam and Eve (note Christ�s confirmation of this in
Matthew 19:3-9). It is �the works of the flesh,� including adultery and fornication, that God condemns.
But the song can also bring great blessing to the reader as he sees therein the eternal love of the Lord Jesus and His heavenly bride. Our text verse, read in this light, is a glorious truth. Not even the waters of
a great flood could quench such love, nor all the possessions of a wealthy king ever purchase it. It is true eternal love, bought by the blood of the Bridegroom and received with undying faith by His beloved bride. HMM
a great flood could quench such love, nor all the possessions of a wealthy king ever purchase it. It is true eternal love, bought by the blood of the Bridegroom and received with undying faith by His beloved bride. HMM
Dying to Be a Servant A Parable
John 12:23-26
Once upon a time there were two grains of wheat lying on the floor of a warm and cozy barn. But one day, the farmer came in and told them, "I want to take you out of this comfortable barn and plant you in the earth. I'm going to place you in the cold ground
and cover you with soil. It will be dark, and you will die. But I promise that you will multiply and become very fruitful."
The first grain of wheat turned down the suggestion. "No way!" he said. "Count me out. I like my comfort, and I don't want to die." But the second one, after carefully considering the pain and discomfort of dying, decided the promise of a future harvest
was worth the sacrifice. So the farmer took him outside and planted him in the ground, while allowing the first grain of wheat to remain inside the barn.
A few days later, a small green sprout appeared over where the seed had been planted. Then it grew and became a tall stalk of wheat that produced one hundred more grains. For the next forty years, the farmer planted all the seeds that had originated from
that first grain of wheat, and year after year, the harvest multiplied. However, the grain of wheat that stayed in the barn remained there by itself, never multiplying--but he was very comfortable.
Which grain of wheat are you? Are you playing it safe, or have you let Christ plant you in the world? The only way you'll ever become useful and fruitful in God's kingdom is to abandon your own selfish desires, get out of your comfort zone, and serve the
Lord by serving others.
When Failure Is Good
But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless-like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile
anywhere. -Ecclesiastes 2:11
King Solomon, who went on a sinful binge, of sorts, said, "Anything I wanted, I would take. I denied myself no pleasure. I even found great pleasure in
hard work, a reward for all my labors. But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless-like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere" (Ecclesiastes 2:10-11). He had seen it all and done it all,
and it didn't satisfy him.
We can do worse than fail. We can succeed and be personally proud of our successes. We can succeed and worship the accomplishment rather than the One
who helped us reach it.
Sometimes failure can be good because we can learn from our mistakes. And failure can be good even when we do something that is wrong-if we learn from
it and if we learn to fail forward.
That means after we have done something wrong and have tasted the bitter results of it, we say, "I really don't want to do that again." So we put safeguards
around our lives, taking precautionary steps to never fall into the same trap. If that is the case, then we have learned something from our failures.
Delight in the Will of God
�I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.� (Psalm
40:8)
This remarkable testimony of David is actually also a Messianic prophecy, fulfilled completely only in Christ. Only as Messiah could He truly say, �My meat is to do the will of him that sent me� and �I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but
the will of him that sent me�; �The works that I do in my Father�s name, they bear witness of me� (John 4:34; 6:38; 10:25). �Wherefore when he cometh into
the world, he saith . . . Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God� (Hebrews 10:5, 7).
His heart was attuned perfectly to the will of God because God�s law was written thereon, �not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart� (2 Corinthians
3:3). Even in the most trying circumstances to which any man could ever be subjected, He could pray, �Not my will, but thine, be done� (Luke 22:42).
By the indwelling Spirit of God, we also must seek to make the will of God our greatest delight. We are saved solely by grace, but this is not to deliver us from the burdensome constraints of God�s holy law; as in the case of Christ Himself, He places His
law in our hearts in order to enable us to love His law. �This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them� (Hebrews
10:16).
Then we learn, like the psalmist, not to resist His will but to love His will and to delight in His law. �O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day. . . . Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my
heart. . . . I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight� (Psalm 119:97, 111, 174). HMM
John 12:23-26
Once upon a time there were two grains of wheat lying on the floor of a warm and cozy barn. But one day, the farmer came in and told them, "I want to take you out of this comfortable barn and plant you in the earth. I'm going to place you in the cold ground
and cover you with soil. It will be dark, and you will die. But I promise that you will multiply and become very fruitful."
The first grain of wheat turned down the suggestion. "No way!" he said. "Count me out. I like my comfort, and I don't want to die." But the second one, after carefully considering the pain and discomfort of dying, decided the promise of a future harvest
was worth the sacrifice. So the farmer took him outside and planted him in the ground, while allowing the first grain of wheat to remain inside the barn.
A few days later, a small green sprout appeared over where the seed had been planted. Then it grew and became a tall stalk of wheat that produced one hundred more grains. For the next forty years, the farmer planted all the seeds that had originated from
that first grain of wheat, and year after year, the harvest multiplied. However, the grain of wheat that stayed in the barn remained there by itself, never multiplying--but he was very comfortable.
Which grain of wheat are you? Are you playing it safe, or have you let Christ plant you in the world? The only way you'll ever become useful and fruitful in God's kingdom is to abandon your own selfish desires, get out of your comfort zone, and serve the
Lord by serving others.
When Failure Is Good
- By Greg Laurie -
www.harvest.org
www.harvest.org
But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless-like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile
anywhere. -Ecclesiastes 2:11
Is success the most important thing in life? It depends on how we define success. Many people achieve their goals,
but what cost did they pay to achieve them? Was it through deception and betrayal? Was it by abandoning their principles and sacrificing their integrity? Was it by neglecting their family and friends and even forgetting about and, in some cases, outright abandoning
God? They may be successful. But ultimately they are failures. Success can be a form of failure.
but what cost did they pay to achieve them? Was it through deception and betrayal? Was it by abandoning their principles and sacrificing their integrity? Was it by neglecting their family and friends and even forgetting about and, in some cases, outright abandoning
God? They may be successful. But ultimately they are failures. Success can be a form of failure.
King Solomon, who went on a sinful binge, of sorts, said, "Anything I wanted, I would take. I denied myself no pleasure. I even found great pleasure in
hard work, a reward for all my labors. But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless-like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere" (Ecclesiastes 2:10-11). He had seen it all and done it all,
and it didn't satisfy him.
We can do worse than fail. We can succeed and be personally proud of our successes. We can succeed and worship the accomplishment rather than the One
who helped us reach it.
Sometimes failure can be good because we can learn from our mistakes. And failure can be good even when we do something that is wrong-if we learn from
it and if we learn to fail forward.
That means after we have done something wrong and have tasted the bitter results of it, we say, "I really don't want to do that again." So we put safeguards
around our lives, taking precautionary steps to never fall into the same trap. If that is the case, then we have learned something from our failures.
Delight in the Will of God
�I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.� (Psalm
40:8)
This remarkable testimony of David is actually also a Messianic prophecy, fulfilled completely only in Christ. Only as Messiah could He truly say, �My meat is to do the will of him that sent me� and �I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but
the will of him that sent me�; �The works that I do in my Father�s name, they bear witness of me� (John 4:34; 6:38; 10:25). �Wherefore when he cometh into
the world, he saith . . . Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God� (Hebrews 10:5, 7).
His heart was attuned perfectly to the will of God because God�s law was written thereon, �not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart� (2 Corinthians
3:3). Even in the most trying circumstances to which any man could ever be subjected, He could pray, �Not my will, but thine, be done� (Luke 22:42).
By the indwelling Spirit of God, we also must seek to make the will of God our greatest delight. We are saved solely by grace, but this is not to deliver us from the burdensome constraints of God�s holy law; as in the case of Christ Himself, He places His
law in our hearts in order to enable us to love His law. �This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them� (Hebrews
10:16).
Then we learn, like the psalmist, not to resist His will but to love His will and to delight in His law. �O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day. . . . Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my
heart. . . . I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight� (Psalm 119:97, 111, 174). HMM
The Requirements of Servanthood
Luke 19:1-9
When Jesus left His home in heaven, He didn't come to earth to be a superstar. He came to serve. As His disciples, we've been left here on earth to follow His example and serve a lost and hurting world. The story of Zacchaeus shows us some Christlike qualities
that we need to develop in order to serve as the Lord did.
Awareness: Although surrounded by a crowd, Jesus stopped and took notice of one particular man perched in a tree. Zacchaeus was hated and rejected because he was a tax collector. Although he was rich, there was something missing in his life,
and Christ recognized his need. There are people all around us "hanging in trees"--needy, empty, and searching for hope. But too often, we're preoccupied with our activities and don't even notice them.
Availability: Jesus was heading to Jerusalem to carry out the most important act in human history: our redemption. Yet He stopped to have a meal with a spiritually needy man. What could be so important that it keeps you too busy to give
others what they need most--your time?
Acceptance: Although Zacchaeus was a notorious sinner, Jesus didn't say, "Clean up your act, and then I'll come to your house." We're called, not to fix people but to share the transforming gospel of Christ.
How are you doing at serving those around you? Maybe it's time to slow down and open your spiritual eyes to see all the needy people. God places opportunities all around us, but if we're not attentive, we'll miss them. Sometimes you just have to look up
to see who�s in the tree.
"Yes, Lord"
There are certain words that go together, such as "Yes, Lord," "How, Lord?" and "When, Lord?" But there are other words that don't go together. These
include "No, Lord" and "Never, Lord."
I was working on a message about this on the day my son Christopher died. When I went back and reread those words, they took on new meaning because they
described how I felt when I heard the news: "No, no. I am not good with this. I don't want this. I don't accept this. No!"
There are times when we feel that way about the will of God. Even Jesus, when He was in the Garden of Gethsemane, recoiled from what lay ahead. He prayed,
"My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine" (Matthew 26:39).
Jesus, who was sinless and perfect and holy, was looking into the abyss of all the wicked things in this world, everything that is sinful and unholy.
And Jesus knew He would have to bear all of that sin upon Himself. That is why Luke tells us that "his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood" (Luke 22:44). Jesus was under the pressure of it all.
Sometimes it is possible for the cup to pass. But then there are times when God will say, "No, you have to drink it. You have to go through it."
If we believe in the providence of God, then we know the Lord is in control of all things. And we know that He will do something or allow something for purposes
that we don't necessarily understand. We might say, "Never, Lord" or "I don't like it, Lord." But ultimately we have to say, "Yes, Lord."
Luke 19:1-9
When Jesus left His home in heaven, He didn't come to earth to be a superstar. He came to serve. As His disciples, we've been left here on earth to follow His example and serve a lost and hurting world. The story of Zacchaeus shows us some Christlike qualities
that we need to develop in order to serve as the Lord did.
Awareness: Although surrounded by a crowd, Jesus stopped and took notice of one particular man perched in a tree. Zacchaeus was hated and rejected because he was a tax collector. Although he was rich, there was something missing in his life,
and Christ recognized his need. There are people all around us "hanging in trees"--needy, empty, and searching for hope. But too often, we're preoccupied with our activities and don't even notice them.
Availability: Jesus was heading to Jerusalem to carry out the most important act in human history: our redemption. Yet He stopped to have a meal with a spiritually needy man. What could be so important that it keeps you too busy to give
others what they need most--your time?
Acceptance: Although Zacchaeus was a notorious sinner, Jesus didn't say, "Clean up your act, and then I'll come to your house." We're called, not to fix people but to share the transforming gospel of Christ.
How are you doing at serving those around you? Maybe it's time to slow down and open your spiritual eyes to see all the needy people. God places opportunities all around us, but if we're not attentive, we'll miss them. Sometimes you just have to look up
to see who�s in the tree.
"Yes, Lord"
- By Greg Laurie -
www.harvest.org
www.harvest.org
"No, Lord," Peter declared. "I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure and unclean."
-Acts 10:14
-Acts 10:14
There are certain words that go together, such as "Yes, Lord," "How, Lord?" and "When, Lord?" But there are other words that don't go together. These
include "No, Lord" and "Never, Lord."
I was working on a message about this on the day my son Christopher died. When I went back and reread those words, they took on new meaning because they
described how I felt when I heard the news: "No, no. I am not good with this. I don't want this. I don't accept this. No!"
There are times when we feel that way about the will of God. Even Jesus, when He was in the Garden of Gethsemane, recoiled from what lay ahead. He prayed,
"My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine" (Matthew 26:39).
Jesus, who was sinless and perfect and holy, was looking into the abyss of all the wicked things in this world, everything that is sinful and unholy.
And Jesus knew He would have to bear all of that sin upon Himself. That is why Luke tells us that "his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood" (Luke 22:44). Jesus was under the pressure of it all.
Sometimes it is possible for the cup to pass. But then there are times when God will say, "No, you have to drink it. You have to go through it."
If we believe in the providence of God, then we know the Lord is in control of all things. And we know that He will do something or allow something for purposes
that we don't necessarily understand. We might say, "Never, Lord" or "I don't like it, Lord." But ultimately we have to say, "Yes, Lord."
Be
Ye Separate
�Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing;
and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.� (2 Corinthians 6:17-18)
Ye Separate
�Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing;
and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.� (2 Corinthians 6:17-18)
The doctrine of separation from �the unclean thing� is neglected today by professing Christians, but it is still here in God�s Word. The context indicates that Paul is warning against Christians being �unequally yoked
together with unbelievers� and urging us to �cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God� (2 Corinthians
6:14; 7:1).
together with unbelievers� and urging us to �cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God� (2 Corinthians
6:14; 7:1).
Such separation does not mean having no contact at all with unbelievers, �for then must ye needs go out of the world� (1
Corinthians 5:10), whereas Jesus commanded, �Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature� (Mark 16:15). He also prayed to the
Father, �not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil� (John 17:15).
Corinthians 5:10), whereas Jesus commanded, �Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature� (Mark 16:15). He also prayed to the
Father, �not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil� (John 17:15).
He does demand, however, that we are not to compromise with unbelief or with the unclean thing. We are �born again� into the family of God through simple faith in the person and saving work of Christ; but the full manifestation
and fellowship of our relation with the heavenly Father as His spiritual sons and daughters is evidently, in this passage, conditioned on the vital principle of separation from all unbelief and filthiness of the flesh, with Jesus as our example (Hebrews
7:26).
and fellowship of our relation with the heavenly Father as His spiritual sons and daughters is evidently, in this passage, conditioned on the vital principle of separation from all unbelief and filthiness of the flesh, with Jesus as our example (Hebrews
7:26).
We are specially warned to �turn away� from those who, �having a form of godliness,� attempt to accommodate the naturalistic viewpoint of modern scientism within the Scriptures, thus �denying the power thereof� (2
Timothy 3:5). �Be ye separate, saith the Lord.� HMM
Timothy 3:5). �Be ye separate, saith the Lord.� HMM
The Secret of Contentment
Philippians 4:4-13
In today's reading, the apostle Paul says he has learned the secret of experiencing contentment in all circumstances, good or bad. Does it surprise you that he wrote this when he was in prison, unsure of his future?
We're often discontent even when all is going well. Consequently, we wonder how it's possible to be truly content during our most difficult trials, especially when there's no end in sight. So what is genuine contentment? Paul is speaking of a freedom
from worry and frustration about everything in life--even unfulfilled desires.
It's usually when we cannot control or change our situation that we feel discontentment. As long as our satisfaction depends on whether certain things actually work out, we'll allow circumstances to cheat us out of peace. I'm not saying there's some spiritual
stage where you will never again experience anxiety or frustration. But what matters is how we respond when those feelings grip us.
This is something that the apostle had to learn. Paul endured amazing suffering, from shipwrecks and hunger to unjust imprisonment and beatings (2 Cor. 11:24-30). He had gone through countless situations that were uncertain, extraordinarily painful, and
seemingly hopeless. But he finally discovered that contentment could not be dependent upon his circumstances.
How do you respond when circumstances are out of your control? Do you get angry? Do you try to escape? Does despair make you want to give up? Paul chose to give his anxieties to Jesus in exchange for peace that "surpasses all comprehension" (Phil. 4:7).
That same peace is available to you!
The Necessary Light
�To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that
they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.� (Acts 26:18)
All human experience understands the relationship between darkness and light. Those who love wickedness crave the darkness to hide their deeds (John 3:19).
Jesus insisted that He is the �light of the world� (John 8:12). Now in His glorified state, the Lord Jesus�our King of kings and Lord of lords�is described
as �dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto� (1 Timothy 6:16). This is not a mere metaphor. �God is light, and in him is no darkness at all�
(1 John 1:5).
It is certainly clear in the Scriptures that those who have not yet been twice born must come �to the light� before they can ever receive the gift of eternal light (John
3:20). Indeed, the very process of �coming� is empowered by the drawing power of the Godhead Himself (John 6:44). No one who is �dead in trespasses
and sin� (Ephesians 2:1) is able to come out of darkness on their own into the light without the supernatural power of the �light� Himself.
Once we are rescued from the darkness by the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus and �birthed� from above by the power demonstrated in the resurrection of our Lord, we who are so redeemed become �children of light� (1
Thessalonians 5:5). Thus empowered, we are to �walk in the light� (1 John 1:7) and have no �fellowship . . . with darkness� (2
Corinthians 6:14). With the �armour of light� complete (Romans 13:12), we can openly let our �light so shine� that we become a �light of the world�
(Matthew 5:16, 14). HMM III
Real Love Changes People
Paul writes, �Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep� (Romans 12:15 NASB). Do you want to plumb the depths of your love for someone? How do you feel when that person succeeds? Do you rejoice or are
you jealous? And when he or she stumbles or falls into misfortune? Are you really sorry? Or are you secretly pleased?
Love never celebrates misfortune. Never! Real love changes people. Didn�t God�s love change you? You know your love is real when you weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice. Do you want to know what love is? �This is what real love is�
It is not our love for God; it is God�s love for us. He sent his Son to die in our place to take away our sins� (1 John 4:10).
God passes the test! And well he should --he drafted it! He rejoices with you; may you rejoice with others.
Drawing from the Source
Jeremiah 2:13
For us as believers, contentment should be governed by inner attitude and the decisions we make rather than by external circumstances. Because Paul had learned this secret, he was able to experience joy and peace in any kind of situation--whether he was
surrounded by friends or isolated in a Roman prison; whether he had plenty or was in great need.
The apostle understood what it meant to live in Christ and to have Christ living in him
(John 15:1-9; Gal. 5:22-23). He had made a simple but profound faith decision to draw his life from the Lord and, as a result, had the calm assurance that what he possessed inside could never be stolen. He was confident in
his identity as a child of the Almighty, with full access to the abundant life Jesus offers.
I want to challenge you--this week, when something threatens to steal your contentment, choose to draw from God; decide to stop drawing from other sources and trying to be in control. When you find yourself becoming flustered, anxious, or angry, stop and
say, "Lord, You are my source, and I draw from You the capacity to be kind. I draw from You the forgiveness I need to extend right now. I draw from You the love I need to express." This decision is a matter of simple trust.
Watch and see how God will quiet your spirit and provide confidence when you draw only from Him as your source. You'll be surprised at your own attitude: when you respond from within--rather than from the flesh--Jesus will give you the ability to respond
as He would.
Philippians 4:4-13
In today's reading, the apostle Paul says he has learned the secret of experiencing contentment in all circumstances, good or bad. Does it surprise you that he wrote this when he was in prison, unsure of his future?
We're often discontent even when all is going well. Consequently, we wonder how it's possible to be truly content during our most difficult trials, especially when there's no end in sight. So what is genuine contentment? Paul is speaking of a freedom
from worry and frustration about everything in life--even unfulfilled desires.
It's usually when we cannot control or change our situation that we feel discontentment. As long as our satisfaction depends on whether certain things actually work out, we'll allow circumstances to cheat us out of peace. I'm not saying there's some spiritual
stage where you will never again experience anxiety or frustration. But what matters is how we respond when those feelings grip us.
This is something that the apostle had to learn. Paul endured amazing suffering, from shipwrecks and hunger to unjust imprisonment and beatings (2 Cor. 11:24-30). He had gone through countless situations that were uncertain, extraordinarily painful, and
seemingly hopeless. But he finally discovered that contentment could not be dependent upon his circumstances.
How do you respond when circumstances are out of your control? Do you get angry? Do you try to escape? Does despair make you want to give up? Paul chose to give his anxieties to Jesus in exchange for peace that "surpasses all comprehension" (Phil. 4:7).
That same peace is available to you!
The Necessary Light
�To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that
they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.� (Acts 26:18)
All human experience understands the relationship between darkness and light. Those who love wickedness crave the darkness to hide their deeds (John 3:19).
Jesus insisted that He is the �light of the world� (John 8:12). Now in His glorified state, the Lord Jesus�our King of kings and Lord of lords�is described
as �dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto� (1 Timothy 6:16). This is not a mere metaphor. �God is light, and in him is no darkness at all�
(1 John 1:5).
It is certainly clear in the Scriptures that those who have not yet been twice born must come �to the light� before they can ever receive the gift of eternal light (John
3:20). Indeed, the very process of �coming� is empowered by the drawing power of the Godhead Himself (John 6:44). No one who is �dead in trespasses
and sin� (Ephesians 2:1) is able to come out of darkness on their own into the light without the supernatural power of the �light� Himself.
Once we are rescued from the darkness by the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus and �birthed� from above by the power demonstrated in the resurrection of our Lord, we who are so redeemed become �children of light� (1
Thessalonians 5:5). Thus empowered, we are to �walk in the light� (1 John 1:7) and have no �fellowship . . . with darkness� (2
Corinthians 6:14). With the �armour of light� complete (Romans 13:12), we can openly let our �light so shine� that we become a �light of the world�
(Matthew 5:16, 14). HMM III
Real Love Changes People
Paul writes, �Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep� (Romans 12:15 NASB). Do you want to plumb the depths of your love for someone? How do you feel when that person succeeds? Do you rejoice or are
you jealous? And when he or she stumbles or falls into misfortune? Are you really sorry? Or are you secretly pleased?
Love never celebrates misfortune. Never! Real love changes people. Didn�t God�s love change you? You know your love is real when you weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice. Do you want to know what love is? �This is what real love is�
It is not our love for God; it is God�s love for us. He sent his Son to die in our place to take away our sins� (1 John 4:10).
God passes the test! And well he should --he drafted it! He rejoices with you; may you rejoice with others.
Drawing from the Source
Jeremiah 2:13
For us as believers, contentment should be governed by inner attitude and the decisions we make rather than by external circumstances. Because Paul had learned this secret, he was able to experience joy and peace in any kind of situation--whether he was
surrounded by friends or isolated in a Roman prison; whether he had plenty or was in great need.
The apostle understood what it meant to live in Christ and to have Christ living in him
(John 15:1-9; Gal. 5:22-23). He had made a simple but profound faith decision to draw his life from the Lord and, as a result, had the calm assurance that what he possessed inside could never be stolen. He was confident in
his identity as a child of the Almighty, with full access to the abundant life Jesus offers.
I want to challenge you--this week, when something threatens to steal your contentment, choose to draw from God; decide to stop drawing from other sources and trying to be in control. When you find yourself becoming flustered, anxious, or angry, stop and
say, "Lord, You are my source, and I draw from You the capacity to be kind. I draw from You the forgiveness I need to extend right now. I draw from You the love I need to express." This decision is a matter of simple trust.
Watch and see how God will quiet your spirit and provide confidence when you draw only from Him as your source. You'll be surprised at your own attitude: when you respond from within--rather than from the flesh--Jesus will give you the ability to respond
as He would.
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